One of the most popular requests to National Lottery Awards for All is for sessional workers. This can help deliver a project or service to an applicant. To let you know what we can consider, this blog will explain all things sessional.

What is the definition of a sessional worker?

A sessional worker is defined as a person not employed under a contract of employment. He/she is paid for undertaking work or a service on the basis of an agreed range of hours to be worked. This has to be within a specified period, or on an ad hoc arrangement to meet varying need.

Are sessional workers subject to conditions applicable to an employee?

For the most part, no. Therefore, a sessional worker’s arrangement will:

• Impose no obligation on the service to offer work or on the individual to accept work offered.
• Not be subject to normal line management responsibilities. This includes performance management procedures; staff discipline arrangements or sick absence/attendance policy.
• Allow the individual to work or provide services for other employers and to send a substitute if they wish (subject to meeting any necessary checks).

Is anything else needed?

Although sessional workers are not strictly treated as employees, it is still necessary to have some sort of agreement between the worker and the organisation around their standard terms and conditions of employment. For example, this could include things like standards of behaviour, health and safety or child protection policies.

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